Book Review: Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Whoa. I can say this book was not what I expected.

Title: Storm
Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Synopsis:

Becca Chandler is getting all the boys. After her ex-boyfriend Drew started spreading rumors about her,  she's become a social outcast, targeted by guys in school. Until she saves Chris Merrick from being beaten up in a parking lot. But Chris is dangerous. And now Becca is too. But there's a new guy in town--the gorgeous Hunter, who instantly like Becca. But Hunter is hiding a secret too, and when the two boys meet, Becca wonders who is more dangerous. The storm is coming.

Review:

I'll admit. That synopsis is mostly from Goodreads. I had no idea how to describe this book. But the summary seems to give away what is pretty much the biggest secret of the book (by the way, the summary above is edited to remove that major bombshell. Go check Goodreads for the real one). Just note that I hadn't actually read the cover summary for the book before reading the actual book (I read it on my phone).

Becca is an interesting protagonist (not the best, but interesting nonetheless) because from the start, she has a secret. We take guesses throughout the book of what actually happened, because people at school tease her and spread rumours about her, but you don't find out what happens until the end. I think this plotline added reality to the fantastical world of the Merricks. Many teenagers can relate to the situation Becca is in. 

For once, I actually enjoyed this love triangle. We are introduced to both love interests almost from the beginning, and the reasons why they meet is actually legit (not, for example, he randomly out of a few quadrillion people, looks directly at her and there's chemistry. Come on.) and Becca spends enough time with both of them for them to develop unique personalities and to pique your interest in both of them. I mean, both of them are similar, but the way Becca views them portrays them in a very different light. Neither of them is shunted or ignored at any point. 

Which brings me to my next point. While the changing points of view got a bit confusing for me, the point of view carried little enough weight that it didn't matter. That should be a bad thing, but I guess one bad thing cancels out another bad thing in this case. 

The Merrick brothers are intriguing--None of them are developed very much, but you do get the sense that there's a lot more to them than Becca sees. While Chris' point of view does shed some light on the brothers' personal lives, you are left wanting to know more about these brothers (which, I might add, is a good thing, seeing as the sequel is about another brother). And while some things are just way too easy to guess (I mean, it's roll-eye worthy) the action keeps you from thinking about it. 

The idea was pretty cool and adding the lack of control really twisted the plot around and gave an entirely new layer to the plot. The brothers' internal conflicts make the situation more real. Their fights, which are completely relatable for people with brothers, are heightened by their abilities and made it dramatic while still staying grounded in a way.

So overall, this book was good. I had to spend time to mull over what I liked and disliked, though, because after reading the book my thoughts were in shambles. Just a warning. The story stays grounded throughout despite the element of fantasy (pun intended) and the action is heart-gripping. 

Grade: A Read it.